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Vienna City Card or Vienna Pass: what pays off for whom

The Vienna Pass includes free admissions but no public transport. The Vienna City Card includes public transport but only discounts. We work out two trips: with two and with four admissions per day.

In short: with two admissions per day you are cheapest without a card, the Vienna City Card costs €3.10 more in our example, the Vienna Pass €40.10 more. With four admissions per day, in our example (admissions averaging €20.80), the Vienna Pass comes out ahead, €26.40 ahead of the Vienna City Card. As of 6 Oct 2026. For the Vienna City Card, the Vienna City Card calculator works out your selection.

Two cards, two principles

  • Vienna City Card: public transport in the city area plus discounts, usually €1.00 to €4.00 per admission. From €19.00 for 24 hours. One child up to their 15th birthday travels free with each card.
  • Vienna Pass: free admission, according to the provider at up to 90 sights, each once, plus the hop-on hop-off bus. Public transport is not included. It is valid for 1, 2, 3 or 6 calendar days from first use.

The Vienna Pass prices for adults. The shop shows a special price with no end date, and we state both prices.

Vienna PassSpecial priceRegularPer day (special price)
1 calendar day€98.10€109.00€98.10
2 calendar days€134.10€149.00€67.05
3 calendar days€157.50€175.00€52.50
6 calendar days€179.10€199.00€29.85

The Vienna City Card costs €19.00 (24 hours), €31.00 (48 hours), €39.00 (72 hours) and €39.00 (7 days). These are the prices at the ticket provider Tiqets, where you can book, as of 24 Sep 2026. Details under Vienna City Card prices.

Calculation 1: two days, two admissions per day

Kunsthistorisches Museum (online €22.00), Sisi Museum (€20.00), Tiergarten Schönbrunn (€29.00) and Upper Belvedere (€23.00). Without a card the admissions cost €94.00. On top come two 24-hour tickets for €20.40, with the Vienna Pass as well, because it includes no public transport.

OptionTotal cost
2 admissions per day: no card€114.40
2 admissions per day: Vienna City Card 48 hours€117.50
2 admissions per day: Vienna Pass 2 days (special price)€154.50
2 admissions per day: Vienna Pass 2 days (regular)€169.40

Without a card you pay the least. The Vienna City Card's discounts bring in less here than its extra cost. The Vienna Pass costs €134.10 and so more than the €94.00 for the four admissions.

Calculation 2: two days, four admissions per day

The same four plus Albertina (€20.90), Riesenrad (€14.50), Naturhistorisches Museum (€18.00) and Leopold Museum (€19.00). Without a card the admissions cost €166.40. At the Riesenrad there is a €1.00 discount with the Vienna City Card.

OptionTotal cost
4 admissions per day: no card€186.80
4 admissions per day: Vienna City Card 48 hours€180.90
4 admissions per day: Vienna Pass 2 days (special price)€154.50
4 admissions per day: Vienna Pass 2 days (regular)€169.40

Now the Vienna Pass comes out ahead: at the special price €26.40 ahead of the Vienna City Card, at the regular price €11.50. The Vienna City Card saves only €5.90 compared with single tickets.

The threshold for the Vienna Pass

The Vienna Pass is worth it as soon as your admissions cost more than the pass. For the 2-day pass at the special price that is €67.05 per day, at the regular price €74.50. The eight admissions from calculation 2 cost an average of €20.80. So you need more than 3 such admissions per day. For the 6-day pass the threshold drops to €29.85 per day, but you have to fill six days with a programme.

With children

At the Kunsthistorisches Museum, the Albertina and the Belvedere, children and young people under 19 pay nothing. For calculation 1, the admissions for a child between 6 and 18 cost €29.00 together (Sisi Museum €12.00, Tiergarten €17.00). The Vienna Pass Junior (ages 6 to 18) for 2 days costs €67.50 at the special price, regular €75.00. Children under 6 get in free with an adult holding a Vienna Pass. It does not pay off here. With the Vienna City Card, one child up to their 15th birthday travels free, while with the Vienna Pass a child from 6 needs their own public transport ticket, except on Sundays, public holidays and during school holidays.

Who should choose what

  • No card: if your discounts do not cover the extra cost of the Vienna City Card, as in calculation 1. Then a 24-hour ticket for €10.20 per day is enough, and from 3 days the 7-day ticket for €25.20.
  • Vienna City Card: if you visit many venues with a fixed euro discount or travel a lot with a child under 15 on school days. The discounts have to cover the extra cost compared with the public transport ticket, which is €10.60 for 48 hours.
  • Vienna Pass: if you manage more than 3 admissions per day averaging €20.80. The hop-on hop-off bus is included. With the Vienna City Card it costs €34.00 extra, but in calculation 1 the Vienna City Card with the bus still comes to €151.50 and stays cheaper than the Vienna Pass (€154.50).

Further alternatives to the card are listed under alternatives to the Vienna City Card. For your own selection, the Vienna City Card calculator does the calculation.

Work out the Vienna City Card for my trip

Frequently asked questions

How much does the Vienna Pass cost?

For adults currently at the special price €98.10 (1 day), €134.10 (2 days), €157.50 (3 days) and €179.10 (6 days), regular €109, €149, €175 and €199. The provider gives no end date for the special price (as of 6 Oct 2026).

Is public transport included with the Vienna Pass?

No. The Vienna Pass only counts as a ticket on the hop-on hop-off bus. For the U-Bahn, tram and bus you need your own ticket, for example the 24-hour ticket for €10.20 (as of 6 Oct 2026).

From how many admissions is the Vienna Pass worth it for 2 days?

If your admissions cost more than €134.10 (special price, regular €149.00). With admissions around €20.80 that is more than 3 per day (as of 6 Oct 2026).

Sources

Prices can change. Admission and card prices change, sometimes at short notice. We check admission prices at the official source and card prices with the ticket provider you book through. We show the date for every price and check all prices again once a month. The price shown to you at checkout is always the one that applies. If you spot an outdated price, let us know at info@citycardcheck.com.

Data source: Vienna City Card prices at the ticket provider Tiqets, where you can book (checked on 6 Oct 2026), plus single prices and card discounts of 8 attractions from our price database (as of 23 Sep 2026, rechecked on 6 Oct 2026, Riesenrad discount according to the Vienna City Card 2026 brochure). 24-hour and 7-day public transport tickets via wien.info (2 Oct 2026). Vienna Pass prices and benefits in the shop on viennapass.de, checked on 6 Oct 2026.

Photo: Andy Wang / Unsplash

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